Puppetry class set at EGCC

September 9, 2011

STEUBENVILLE - His beloved puppets delighted children throughout the world for more than half a century. He has acquired the admiration of adults through his creative animations and passion for entertainment. And even though George Creegan has retired from the industry he loves dearly, he is far from being done.

Creegan plans to bring a puppetry course to Eastern Gateway Community College - something quite uncommon.

He recently explained there will be a course offered to adults and students, where participants can learn to make hand puppets and create sets and scripts. Class concludes with students staging a puppet show.

Article Photos

CLASSES SET — George Creegan, once the owner of the Creegan Co. on Washington Street, soon will be conducting puppetry courses at Eastern Gateway Community College. Adults and students can take advantage of a fall course as they learn about the art of puppetry. -- Staff photo

The classes are to be offered from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, beginning Sept. 19 and continuing through Oct. 24. The cost is $59, and Ohio residents over age 60 will pay $29.

The registration deadline is Monday.

Call (740) 264-5591, extension 310, to register

Some of the lessons taught to the adults will come from Creegan's book, "Sir George's Book of Hand Puppetry," which was written in the late 1960s. He also will provide information from his follow-up book, "Stories for Puppets."

Topics covered in the book show steps to making puppets, costuming the hand puppet, writing and acting with puppets and sound, lighting and special effects.

"I was on the air for a long time with Creegan and Crow," he continued, saying people are interested in learning more about puppetry than some may realize.

Creegan said he hopes people taking the class walk away with the knowledge that puppetry is an art, and there is an appreciation for what it can do in one's life.

"It's an intro to the arts," he said, noting puppetry deals with several facets of entertainment, including acting, writing, sculpting and anything of an artistic nature.

Creegan started a creative writing course at EGCC, and he said it has been "very well attended."

"We're always looking for ideas for new and interesting courses from people who are experts on a particular topic," said Halley Barcalow, EGCC coordinator of community outreach and professional development. "When George proposed doing a puppetry course for adults this fall, we were delighted. There's no question, if you want to take a class about puppets, George is the guy you want teaching it.

"It's unlike anything we've offered before. There's a lot of fun built in given the subject matter, and it gives adults the opportunity to take a break and play a little. I'm really looking forward to seeing the class's puppet show at the end of the course."